joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348029774389 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • james_morgan@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "bff01 Gazeta.pl" <bff01@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: james_morgan@sify.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:57:54 +0200
Subject: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUNDS


FROM THE DESK OF JAMES MORGAN.
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT /REF: ECOBANK/IRD/FBX/081/08
Email: james_morgan@sify.com
Tel/fax:234-802-977-4389

ATTEN: BENEFICIARY

FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIVES RECEIVED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE NEWLY SWORNED-IN
PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND AS A RESULT OF PETITIONS AND
COUNTER PETITIONS BY FOREIGN CONTRACTORS OVER NON-PAYMENT OF THEIR CONTRACT
CLAIMS, THIS PRONED THE C.B.N GOVERNOR (CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA) TO LOOK
INTO ALL OVERDUE CONTRACT PAYMENTS YET TO BE RELEASED FOR VERIFICATION,
VETTING AND IMMEDIATE PAYMENT.

YOUR NAME IS AMONG THE LIST OF BENEFICIARIES RELEASED FOR VERIFICATION AND
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT. BE INFORMED THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN INADEQUACIES
SURROUNDING YOUR INABILITY TO MEET UP THE NECESSARY FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
WHICH ARE MANDATORY FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR OVERDUE FUND, THE PRESIDENCY IN
ITS MAGNANIMITY HAS APPROVED A PARTLY SUM OF 15M (FIFTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS
ONLY) OF YOUR TOTAL SUM TO BE PAID TO YOU THROUGH (ATM) DEBIT CARD.

YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO INDICATE YOUR READINESS TO OBTAIN YOUR OWN
ALLOCATED CARD FROM THE DATA UNIT INCHARGE OF THE ISSUANCE. IT IS ALSO
IMPERATIVE TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS PAYMENT METHOD IS EASIER, FASTER AND
COULD BE CASHED FROM ANY (ATM) MACHINE ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD.

PLEASE DO RE-CONFIRM YOUR EXISTING MAILING ADDRESS AND YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
FOR EASIER COMMUNICATION. DUE TO THE LONG DELAY THIS PAYMENT HAS SUFFERED,
BE REST ASSURED THAT IMMEDIATELY THESE INFORMATION'S NEED FROM YOU ARE
CLEARED, YOU WOULD RECEIVE YOUR CREDIT CARD ANALYSIS FOR CLEARANCE OF FUNDS
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

MAKE SURE YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE NECESSARY
ACTION WILL BE TAKING IMMEDIATELY. NECESSARY INFORMATION NEEDED ARE:

1.YOUR FULL NAME.
2.YOUR HOME/OFFICE ADDRESS
3.TELEPHONE / FAX NUMBER
4.ATTACH COPY OF YOUR INDENTIFICATION

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION AND GOD BLESS YOU.

WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

REGARDS

JAMES MORGAN
ECOBANK PLC

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam